AROUND 200 fewer vehicles a day could pass through Wellington town centre if a new proposal is approved.

Retail Interest Ltd, a mutal company of Relyon and Pritex which have site sites in the town, has submitted the application to Taunton Deane Borough Council to create a new vehicle and pedestrian access point from the Pritex site to the first phase of the Wellington northern relief road.

The new road has been constructed as part of the Longforth Farm residential estate from Bloor Homes.

In August 2018, it was revealed parent company Steinhoff International would be selling Pritex in a bid to grow the business into different sectors. The applicant hopes the new access will ensure Pritex can work independently to Relyon.

A spokesman said: “For reasons that have been publicised in the national and local press, Pritex Ltd has been put up for sale.

“As a consequence, and to ensure that the Pritex site is capable of continuing to operate independently from Relyon, it is necessary to ensure that the site has a clear boundary, adequate car and cycle parking spaces and an independent vehicular and pedestrian access.”

As part of the residential site, developer Bloor Homes is required to build a spine road through the site, up to the boundary of the Relyon/Pritex site.

The spokesman added: “There has been a long-held local aspiration for a northern relief road to be constructed in Wellington to enable heavy goods vehicles and other large vehicles currently visiting employment premises in the north of the town to do so without passing through narrow and congested roads within the town centre.

“Approval of this application will enable vehicles from the Pritex site to directly access the first section of the relief road without passing through the Relyon site or the town centre.

“Based on current traffic levels, Steinhoff estimates around 20 daily two-way HGV and transit goods vehicle movements, and around 190 daily two-way vehicle movements in total will no longer be required to route through the town centre and residential roads to access the site from the wider road network.”

A decision is set to be made on the application on February 7.

An online consultation will run on TDBC’s website until January 25.

To view the application search number 43/18/0122.